Odor absorbing composition



Patented Feb. 4, 1941 I p I L "UNITED" AT P T T, FF

No Drawing. pplication November 18, 193

' Serial'No. 305,187 Y v M 2Claims. (Cl; 128-156) V 1; This invention relates to improvements in odor of the gel. The fibers are in substantially non- -abSrb nE c mp siti ns. an mo e p ygtc adherent 'relationship with each other so as to a novel, compositioncapable of absorbing liquid, form a loosely coherent mass and the product of gaseousand certain solid aqueoussecretions and the present invention is not to beconf used with 5 excretions of the body which carry undesirable felted materials such asblotting paper which have 5 and ofiensiveodors. been impregnated with silica gel and in which Heretofore, the various kinds of bandages, pads the silica gel substantially fills the voids between and dressings carrying odor absorbents have bethe fibers or acts as a binder for the'fibers. The come ineffective and useless in a short time bevoids between the individual coated fibers of the cause of their inability to absorb the large amount present invention substantially increase the ab- 0 of liquid accompanying the secretions or excresorptiveness of the product. tions. Those odor absorbing compositions de- The present invention overcomes the inherent pending upon the oxidization of substances causdefects in bulk or commercial silica gel; first, ing the odors are apt to be irritating to the tissues by supplying suitable means for maintaining the with which they come in contact, and for this silica gel in a highly dispersed o diti it a 15 reasonare not suitable for use in bandages or a greatly increased surface exposed for contacting pads. with the secretions and excretions of the body; The odor absorbing composition comprising secondly, by supplying wicks or channels to carry the present invention has no irritating effects the secretions and excretions to every part of upon the tissues with which it comes in contact, this increased surface; and thirdly, by supplying, 20 is neutral, and is capable of absorbing, relatively a supporting medium so that ii; can absorb and large amounts of liquid without itself becoming adsorb a larger amount of liquid secretion and fluid. It holds the liquid secretionor excretion excretion without becoming softened, mushy or as well as the accompanying odors by colloidal pulpy to the extent of interfering with its normal adsorption and capillary absorption. After use function. 25 it may be readily disintegrated and disposed of The silicagel can be precipitated upon the by submerging in an excess of water such as is fibers in any desired manner and the ratio of ordinarily available in sanitary drainage systems, silica gel to cellulosic fibers may vary within wide or it may be readily burned in an incinerator in limits, depending upon the absorptiveness necesthe usual manner. sary for a particular use. As an example of pre- It has long been known that silica gel will paring an odor absorbing composition in accordabsorb considerable liquid and some gases, but ance with my invention, 1 take an aqueous susits value as an absorbent and adsorbent of odors pension of cellulosic fibers and add an aqueous coming from compounds which are normally solution of a soluble silicate in such amounts liquid or solid at ordinary temperatures has never that the silica. content is approximately equal to 5 been fully investigated. Silica gel now commerthe weight of the cellulose. While the solution cially obtainable in massive, granular or powdered of cellulosic fibers and silicate is being constantly form is commonly employed as an absorbent and agitated, a suitable acid such as hydrochloric acid adsorbent, but in such form is incapable of abis added to cause the silica to precipitate and sorbing secretions and excretions of the body and acquire a gelatinous form. The water and disaccompanying odors principally because the sursolved salts are then removed by any well known face of each block, grain or particle is quickly method suchas by filtration, pressing or centrifuoccluded by the protein content and detritus presgal wringing, and by repeated washing all sepent in the secretion or excretion, and thus the arable salts, acids and other soluble substances bulk of the silica gel is rendered useless and unwhich might irritate the body tissues are re- 45 available for the purposes intended. moved, thereby causing the residual mass to be The product of the present invention is a loose left in a substantially neutral condition. The mass of substantially separated cellulosic fibers, semi-dry mass is next sufiiciently broken up to with the separate fibers each having a coating of substantially separate the cellulosic fibers, after dehydrated silica gel. The cellulosic fibers mainwhich it is carefully dried while maintained at 50 tain the'silica gel in a highly dispersed state with a temperature sufiiciently low as to not cause an extremely large exposed surface for a given an alteration of the cellulosic material but at amount of silica gel. The cellulosic fibers furthe same time high enough to dry out the silica ther form a multiplicity of wicks for carrying the. gel and cause it to shrink and adhere to the insecretions to every part of the increased surface terspersed cellulosic fibers which form a support be somewhat less, than 150 centigrade.

for said gel. To inhibit the decomposition of the cellulosic material, it has been found that the temperature at which the semi-dry mass may be maintained during the drying operation shoullld T e drying operation may be satisfactorily carried out under varying temperatures, depending principally upon such conditions as the length of time the mass of material is to be maintained in a heated condition and the moisture content of the surrounding air. In this connection it has been found that a temperature of between 100 and 110 centigrade is most desirable for drying gels containing a minimum amount of silica, and that a temperature of slightly less than 130 centigrade is suitable for drying gels containing a maximum amount of silica. It has also been demonstrated that the drying operation may be carried out with a temperature oiflas low as 20" centigrade when a current of dry air is employed. Sodium silicate is preferably employed to form the silica gel, although any of thesoluble silicates such as the alkali metal silicates are contemplated It isto be understood that the proportions of cellulosic fiber and soluble silicate used in makingmy odor absorbing compound may be varied considerably, as for example, for thick mucilaginous secretions or excretions less silicate and more cellulosic fiber proves advantageous, and for very thin, watery secretions and excretions which are frequently highly odoriferous, more silicate and less cellulosic fiber is desirable.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 67,416, filed fibers and silica gel, substantially separating the coated fibers, and drying the same to produce aloosely coherent absorptive mass of cellulosic fibers individually coated with dehydrated silica gel.

ZENO OS'I'ENBERG. 

